Persinski Blata, Managed nature reserve on Belene Island, Bulgaria.
Persinski Blata is a 385.2-hectare reserve on Persin Island in the Danube, made up of several marshes: Peschansko Marsh (1.82 km²), Mrtvoto Marsh (1.23 km²), Staroto Marsh (41 ha), Dulyovo Marsh (40 ha), Ploe, Vircite, Lateva, Gonkovo Marsh and seven smaller ones. The reserve lies within the Belene Island group.
The reserve was established in 1981 to protect wetland areas along the Danube. It later became integrated into a larger regional conservation network that expanded safeguards for the area.
The reserve is part of the Belene Islands group and is recognised as an ornithologically important site of international significance. Its marshes, notably Peschansko Marsh and Dead Marsh, lie on Persin Island, where more than 170 bird species have been recorded, including the red-necked grebe and the white-cheeked tern.
The reserve is strictly protected under IUCN Category I, so all human activity is prohibited and entry is not allowed. The marshes can be observed from outside the boundary or from the buffer zone, which covers 551.8 hectares of floodplain forests, poplar plantations and farmland. In summer the marshes often dry out and reeds take over.
The reserve protects about 170 bird species, among them the red-necked grebe, the white-cheeked tern and the great cormorant. It also holds one of Bulgaria's larger water-lily sites, together with water fern and devil's walnut.
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